Instrumental Duet Bassoon,Instrumental Duet - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.552407

Composed by Leo Delibes (1836-1891). Arranged by James M. Guthrie. Holiday,Romantic Period,Standards,Wedding. Score and parts. 7 pages. Jmsgu3 #6342571. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.552407).

Duo of the flowers from Lakme, Act I. A popular wedding selection.

Leo Delibes (1836-1891) was a French composer of the Romantic period best known for his ballets and operas. He was a child prodigy and began composing music at the age of seven. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where he developed a mastery of the symphonic form and wrote several pieces for the orchestra. His works for the stage are among the most popular and beloved of the Romantic era, including the ballets Coppélia and Sylvia, and the opera Lakmé.

Delibes was a pioneer in the use of orchestral color and instrumental effects to enhance the dramatic narrative of his works. His works are often praised for their lyricism, graceful melodies, and colorful orchestrations. His music is considered to be a bridge between the grandiose and romantic works of the French composers before him, such as Gounod and Berlioz, and the more intimate and melodic style of composers like Debussy and Ravel.

Delibes’ influence can be heard in the works of later composers such as Stravinsky and Prokofiev, and his music continues to be performed and enjoyed today. His contributions to music history are significant, and his works remain beloved masterpieces of the Romantic era.

Léo Delibes' opera Lakmé is an opera in three acts. It was first performed in 1883 at the Théâtre Lyrique in Paris. The libretto was written by Edmond Gondinet and Philippe Gille. The story is set in British-occupied India and tells the story of a young Indian girl, Lakmé, who is in love with a British officer, Gerald. The story follows the couple's romantic journey, as well as the obstacles they face from Lakmé's father and the British military. The opera is best known for its beautiful score, which includes the famous aria The Flower Duet as well as the duet Lakmé! The Bell Song. The opera has been performed in opera houses all over the world and is considered one of Delibes' most popular works.

The Duo des Fleurs, composed by French composer Léo Delibes, is a ballet pas de deux from the ballet Lakme, Act I. It is a beloved masterpiece of the Romantic period and is often performed as a standalone piece in many ballet performances. The piece is typically danced by two female ballet dancers and is known for its playful and lighthearted nature. The music consists of a melody that alternates between the two dancers and is often accompanied by a lighthearted waltz. The music has a strong sense of unity and connection between the two dancers, which is enhanced by the use of the same melody. The piece also features a beautiful soaring coda that gives it a sense of grandeur and beauty. The Duo des Fleurs is an exquisite piece of music and an enduring classic of the ballet repertoire.

Bassoon,Instrumental Duet - Level 2 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.549232

Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Baroque,Easter,Standards,Wedding. 9 pages. Jmsgu3 #3468756. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549232).

J. S. Bach BWV 508. 

Bist du bei mir

Bach adapted this aria from a lost Stölzel opera called Diomedes. He changed the original orchestral instrumentation to soprano, strings, and continuo.  He also modified the voice-leading making it sound more like a Bach composition. The work appears as BWV 508 No. 25 in the Anna Magdalena Notebook No. 2.  

Source

Only a few remnants of the original opera have survived. Historians speculate that Anna Magdalena got the song from the Leipzig Opera after the bankruptcy of 1720. Chances are good, though, that the tune was a favorite of everyone in Leipzig at the time.  

Lyrics

When thou art near, I go with joy
To death and to my rest.
O how joyous would my end be,
If your fair hands
            Would close my faithful eyes. - Unknown

Bach Overview

First of all, Johann Sebastian Bach is maybe the greatest composer in music history. Certainly, he was prolific. As a result, everyone has heard of his works. Furthermore, these works number well over a thousand. It seems like people are probably most familiar with instrumental works such as the Brandenburg Concertos, and the Goldberg Variations. But, similarly famous are such noteworthy works as the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Musical Offering, and certainly the Art of Fugue. Seems like his most famous vocal works include the most noteworthy Mass in B Minor. Also, most noteworthy are the St. John Passion, and indeed the Christmas Oratorio.

 History

Bach came from a long line of musicians and above all, composers. Consequently, he, first of all, pursued a career as a church organist. So as a result, he gained employment in various Protestant churches in Germany. For a while, he worked as a court musician in Weimar and Köthen. Here he probably developed his organ style and likewise his chamber music style. Eventually, he, therefore, gained an appointment as Cantor of St. Thomas in Leipzig. Here he worked until difficulties with his employer ultimately drove him away. The King of Poland finally appointed him as court composer.

 Style

It seems like Bach created a fascinating new international style. He synthesized elements of the most noteworthy European music ideas into his new style. Even more, this new style was probably his synthesis of European musical rhythm and form. Furthermore, he demonstrated a complete mastery of counterpoint and motivic development. His sense of harmonic organization probably propelled him to the top.

Revival               

Mendelssohn conducted a Bach revival in the nineteenth century. His effort probably helped to re-familiarize the public with the magnitude of Bach’s works. During this period, scholars published many noteworthy Bach biographies. Moreover, Wolfgang Schmieder published the BWV (Bach Werke Verzeichnis). As a result, this is now the official catalog of his entire artistic output. The BWV number allows us to locate a work in the catalog. Sometimes scholars will simply use an S (Schmieder) as an abbreviation for BWV.

 Voyager

NASA launched two Voyager spacecraft in 1977. Onboard are phonograph records with sounds, music, and images of life on Earth. The purpose of the launch was to inform intelligent extraterrestrial life forms about conditions on Earth. The music on the disc is varied. There is Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Stravinsky among others. However, because Bach is so important in our music history, it contains three times more Bach than all the others combined.

Instrumental Duet Bassoon,Instrumental Duet - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.549452

Composed by Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Instructional,Romantic Period,Sacred,Standards. Score and parts. 15 pages. Jmsgu3 #3497185. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549452).

Score: 10 pages, solo part: 2 pages, piano part: 3 pages. Duration: 4:25. Not difficult, but requires sensitivity & dynamic control. Suitable for recitals, church meditations, or school programs.

School Years

First of all, Sullivan attended music school at the Royal Academy of Music. Because Sullivan was so talented, the Academy awarded him the Mendelssohn Scholarship for two years in a row. He, therefore, studied with John Goss, who studied with Thomas Atwood, who in turn studied with Mozart. Sullivan similarly studied the piano at the Academy with Arthur O’Leary.

Study Abroad

During his first year, he also earned money by singing solos in the Chapel Royal. At the end of his second year, the Academy consequently continued his scholarship and sent him to study at the Leipzig Conservatoire. He certainly studied composition, and likewise counterpoint and piano. Hence, during his final year in Leipzig, Sullivan finally completed his graduation composition project: Incidental Music for Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Association with Gilbert

It seems like Sullivan built the bulk of his composing career largely in the 1860s. As a result, he became famous for his incidental music for the Tempest and his Irish Symphony. He, therefore, began collaborating with the poet W. S. Gilbert in the 1870s. Rather than focus on serious opera, Gilbert and Sullivan, in contrast, concentrated on comic opera such as H. M. S. Pinafore, the Pirates of Penzance, and the Mikado. Therefore, certainly as a result of his education and experience, Sullivan composed a total of 24 operas, 11 symphonic works, 10 choral pieces. Even more, he wrote a large number of noteworthy hymns such as Onward Christian Soldiers.

Lost Chord

The general style of his music is maybe similar to Mendelssohn, Schumann, and perhaps Liszt. It seems like Sullivan was fond of writing distinct melodies for each character in his operettas. His melodies combine together as the characters did. Furthermore, he was a master orchestrator, and therefore played the flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone fluently.

The Lost Chord

Sullivan wrote his most noteworthy song the Lost Chord in 1877. As a result, it was a great success and was certainly performed all over the world by a variety of singers such as Enrico Caruso. Because Sullivan was the most famous composer in England, the Lost Chord became the most famous of all British or American songs of the 1870s and 1890s. Consequently, in 1888 Thomas Edison recorded The Lost Chord for the phonograph. It was one of the first songs ever recorded. Furthermore, Queen Victoria knighted Sullivan in 1883.

 

 

Instrumental Duet Bassoon,Instrumental Duet - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.549381

Composed by George Frideric Handel. Arranged by James M. Guthrie, ASCAP. Baroque,Sacred,Standards,Wedding. Score and parts. 9 pages. Jmsgu3 #3492259. Published by jmsgu3 (A0.549381).

Duration: 4:55, Score: 6 pages, Solo part: 1 page, piano part: 2 pages. A very famous aria (Ombra mai fu) from Xerxes
Suitable for any venue requiring meditative music. Excellent choice for a recital encore.

Xerxes

Xerxes is, in fact, an opera seria in three acts by Handel. Moreover, Handel conducted the premiere performance in London in 1738. Handel casts the opera in Persia in 470 BC. The part of Xerxes was indeed originally sung by a soprano castrato. Nowadays, the part is generally sung by a mezzo-soprano or conversely a counter-tenor. In the first place, Xerxes sings an opening aria, Ombra mai fu to a plane tree. Handel sets this aria to one of his most truly famous melodies. Although many refer to it traditionally as Handel’s Largo, Handel has, on the contrary, clearly marked Larghetto in the score.

Handel Background

George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759) was born in Germany but eventually became a British citizen. Nonetheless, he was a famous Baroque composer. In fact, he became famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos. Handel studied music and, by and large, worked as a composer in Germany and Italy before moving to London. On the whole, Handel was very familiar with the contemporary music of Italy and Germany.

Career in England

It is essential to realize that Italian opera was all the rage in England at the time. Moreover, Handel was really good at writing them. Therefore, he started not one but three opera companies in England. Alexander's Feast was a huge success in 1736, but Handel began composing English choral works. After success with the Messiah in 1742) he certainly never again wrote an Italian opera.

Consequently, he died in 1759, a treasured genius. Accordingly, the English government gave him full state honors at his funeral. Hence, he is buried in Westminster Abbey in London.

Legacy

Music historians agree that Handel was in general one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era.  To demonstrate, his works such as the Messiah, Water Music, and Music for the Royal Fireworks remain consistently popular up to the present time. He especially composed the coronation anthem, Zadok the Priest for the coronation of George II. Nevertheless, it has specifically been performed at every succeeding British coronation since. His oratorio Solomon has by all means also continued to be prevalent. As a matter of fact, Sinfonia from act 3 was featured in the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony. Handel was particularly prolific. To enumerate, he wrote over forty operas.  Since the late 1960s, we have expressly experienced a revival of baroque music. Similarly, we have especially seen a pique of interest in historically informed musical performances. Since his death in 1779, interest in Handel's music has all in all, expanded.